Calculus disintegrator



April 19, 1960 F. D. WINNER ET AL 2,933,088

CALCULUS DISINTEGRATOR Filed Aug. 2, 1957 F/6URE E United States Patent O CALCULUS DISINTEGRATGR Forney D. Winner and Benjamin W. Nieiiel, Lock Haven, Pa.

Application August 2, 1957, Serial No. 675,920

2 Claims. (Cl. 12d-328) The present invention relates to novel method and apparatus for subdividing or pulverizing stones lodged in body conduits such as the ureter, kidney and hilary ducts, granting a more facile approach than direct open extensive surgery, thereby decreasing hospital stay, morbidity and mortality.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus which does not require a great opening through the urethra or other aperture, which requires only a short line of operaion. Previously the dislodgment of calculi has depended upon antique methods such as extensive and open surgery or the inanimate probing of a blunt instrument in an attempt to dislodge the calculi or the grasping with forceps or the incorporation of the stone within a basket of line wires. Other objects of the invention include minimizing injury to the bladder, liver, duodenum from dilation and probing and eliminates use of large forces and stresses for the removal of lodged calculi.

The calculi disintegrator derives energy from an external source and is capable of entering into body conduits through small openings such` as the cystoscope or the cystic duct or common duct. The fundamental principle is a flexible rotating shaft encased in a plastic sheath such as a uretheral catheter which is power driven and may be operated at varying speeds. The tiexible shafting drives a carbon twist drill with a lateral piece of carbide brazed to its shank. The drill pierces the stone and then the carbide ily-cutter disintegrates the peripheral portions of the calculus obstruction. The outside plastic dilates the passage where the obstruction lies and thus assures that the drill engages the geometric center of the inclusion.

' Brief description Figure I gives a side view of the calculus disintegrator. Figure 1I shows a cross section view of the coupling of the motor shaft to the flexible drive shaft, and Figure III shows a cross section view of the flexible drive shaft brazed to a cutting tool and said tool enclosed in a sheath.

Detailed description Referring more particularly to the drawings, in Figure I, numeral 1 designates a fractional horsepower explosion-proof motor. The motor has a conventional Patented Apr. 19, 1960 ICC rheostatic foot switch, numeral 2, for speed control. The shaft of the motor 1 is connected by a bonded rubber exible coupling 3 to a exible drive shaft assembly 4 composed of a lieXible shaft 5, Figure III, and a plastic sheath 6, Figure III. The iiexible shaft 5, Figure III, comprised of a small diameter shaft encased by a tightly wound coil spring. Figure Il, numeral 3 showing a cross section of the bonded rubber coupling illustrates how the shaft of motor 1 is joined to flexible drive shaft assembly 4. Numeral 4 of Figure II designates a section View of the iiexible drive shaft assembly. At the end of the flexible shaft 5, Figure lll, a drill tip 7 is brazed to the end of said shaft. Fly cutter 8 is brazed to the edge of drill tip 7. A soluble gelatin capsule 9 houses the drill tip 7 and the ily cutter 8 and rests ush against the end of the plastic sheath 6..

In operation of this device, the drive shaft assembly 4, Figures I and II, is inserted in the body passage way until the tip makes contact with the calculi obstruction. The gelatinous housing 9, Figure III, prevents impingement of the ily cutter 8, Figure III, and the drill tip 7, Figure Ill, before engagement with the stone. After contact has been made, the drill is p-ut into operation by depressing the rheostatically controlled foot switch 2, Figure I. The llexible shafting 5, Figure III, rotates inside the plastic sheath 6, Figure III, which is held rmly by the hand while drilling takes place. The plastic sleeve remains stationary, thus preventing harmful abrasion to the body passage. As drilling and disintegrating take place the drill tip 7, Figure lll, is fed forward until the stone has been completely disintegrated into dust-like particles.

Before removing the toolthe flexible shafting 5, Figure III, is drawn within the plastic catheter 6Figure III, so as to prevent impingement of the y-cu'tter 8, Figure III, and the drill tip 7, Figure Ill.

We claim:

1. A calculus disintegrator for use in body conduits comprising a plastic flexible tube having a flexible drive shaft through the entire length of the tube, said exible shaft being operatively connected atV one end to a source of rotary power adapted to driving the flexible shaft; a tool operatively connects to the other end of said flexible shaft, a capsule surrounding said tool.

2. A calculus disintegrator comprising a ureteral catheter tube in which is inserted a flexible non-corrosive drive shaft to which a single point stub twist drill is attached; to said twist drill is attached laterally a piece of abrasive material for disintegrating the peripheral portions of matter engaged by the said drill; housing said drill and lateral cutter is gelatin capsule guide.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 550,783 Elliott et al. Dec. 3, 1895 2,208,369 Held July 16, 1940 2,227,727 Leggiodro Jan. 7, 1941 2,711,199 Salsberg June 21, 1955 

